


Fresh Powder

by actualborealis



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-10
Updated: 2017-08-10
Packaged: 2018-12-13 12:09:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11759553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/actualborealis/pseuds/actualborealis
Summary: The first snowfall of the winter season has come to Shiganshina City.





	Fresh Powder

Clouded breath spills from your lips while you run, snow crunching beneath your boots, more than likely giving away your position. You curse quietly under your breath. You wish there was a way to sprint through snow drifts quietly, but there's no time to dwell on that now. Someone is coming up from behind; their footsteps are off-beat with yours, but it sounds like they're gaining on you. Your heart pounds in your chest. Your lungs ache from the constant intake of frigid air. You can't feel your nose anymore. Winter lays icy kisses on your cheeks, turning them rosy red. You push yourself to run faster, glancing over your shoulder to try and discern who is on your tail. You catch a glimpse of red fabric streaming behind the dark-haired figure and your heart nearly stops for a moment. Of all the people to be pursuing you, this was the most terrifying option. You considered that it wasn't necessarily surprising, even if it _was_ one of your closest friends. You fight down the sharp pang of betrayal and swerve to the left, your feet leaving the ground briefly as you soar over a park bench, landing a bit clumsily but continuing to flee. You nearly bowl over several small children in the midst of making a snowman. Tossing an apology over your shoulder as you charge forward, you hear the tell tale sounds of despair as the girl chasing you decimates the unfinished snowman, refusing to alter her course by even a centimeter. Nothing will stop her. You know that.

The soles of your shoes leave the snow suddenly, and you realize you've made a terrible mistake. Your body's momentum carries you briefly across the frozen, slick surface of the ice skating pond but inevitably, you wobble. Your feet slide out from under you and you topple onto the ice with a grunt. A shadow falls over you and you look up, pupils dilating with fear, mouth opening to plead with your attacker - and a snowball collides with your face, just a little painfully. You reach up with mitten-clad hands to wipe the chilly powder away, (E/C) irises focusing on the expressionless face of Mikasa Ackerman. You think you spot her lips twitch upwards slightly but you can't be sure. 

"Do you yield, (F/N)?" she asks.

"NEVER!" The voice isn't yours. How neither of you missed the approach of the boy, you're not sure. He isn't subtle. He crashes through the snow in a flurry of chocolate hair and sheer determination. 

"Eren." Mikasa turns, grey eyes hardening, but she's met with a volley of projectiles from the pair behind him; namely, Sasha Blouse and Connie Springer. As she attempts to dodge the snowballs or shield herself from them, you take the opportunity to stand up, still a bit uncoordinated.

And Eren launches himself onto the ice, sliding expertly, sticking an arm out to catch around your waist, taking you with him. You let out a surprised squeak. You make it all the way to the other side of the pond, crashing hard into the snow, your best friend toppling down over you. He catches himself, hands dug into the powder on either side of your head, your noses barely brushing. He's breathing heavily. His sea foam eyes sparkle with mischief. His cheeks are red like yours, though his are probably from the cold, whereas yours are now from your proximity to him. You tentatively reach up and brush some ice crystals clinging to his fringe. He flashes you a grin, not moving.

"Told you I'd come to your rescue," he says, satisfied.

"You basically body slammed me into a pile of snow," you point out. 

"It's a rescue with style, (F/N)." He doesn't seem to be discouraged.

"It's definitely _your_ style," you tease. "Is there a reason we're still laying here?"

"Well yeah," he scoffs. "I'm protecting you until Sasha and Connie run Mikasa off."

"But I'm cold." Your lips pull into a pout. 

"THAT'S RIGHT! YOU BETTER RUN!" Connie's shouting, followed by Sasha's laughter, interrupt you. Eren takes that as a sign that the coast is clear and he hauls himself off you, reaching down to take your hands and pull you to your feet. You start dusting the snow off your clothes and out of your (H/C) locks. He's smiling at you, but you try very hard not to think too much about it. He moves slightly, shrugging off his jacket and draping it over your shoulders. You furrow your brow, glancing up at him.

"In case you're still cold." He shrugs. Then he reaches out and grabs your hand. "We gotta get you to the fort!"

"Fort?" you echo, being suddenly tugged along after him. 

Across the park sits the biggest snow fort you've ever seen. It's no wonder what took them so long to intercept Mikasa, you think to yourself. A head pops up over the wall; the final member of Team Eren, Armin Arlert. He isn't exceptionally fast, nor is he exceptionally strong, but he is exceptionally smart. You don't have to ask to know he devised the fort he's currently guarding. Connie and Sasha hop the wall, and Eren helps you scale it, ignoring Armin's protests about structural damage. Once you're all inside, Eren straightens himself up and starts talking. His speeches are always impassioned, no matter what the topic. You were certain he could probably bring someone to tears just talking about cereal if he tried hard enough. He doesn't have a very commanding presence... but he has a _large_ presence, one that can't be ignored in any room, or ice fort as the occasion has it. 

"Every year, Team Jean claims victory in the First Snowball Showdown," he was saying, clutching his fist against his chest, "but not this time! This is our season! They might have Mikasa," - which you have to admit to yourself gives them an enormous advantage - "but they don't have our sense of purpose! We will not be defeated! We will crush them!" 

Connie pumps his fist in the air while Sasha cheers Eren on. Armin looks a little startled by Eren's fire but claps quietly just the same. You can't fight the smile smoothing its way across your face, so wide and genuine it causes the bridge of your nose to scrunch up a little bit. It's Eren's favorite smile. 

A strategy is devised. Armin will vandalize Team Jean's fort and then flee, hopefully baiting at least most of them to follow. Connie and Sasha are meant to clear out whoever stays behind while Armin leads his pursuers directly to you and Eren. One blaze of glory later, and you will hold victory at last! You hide yourself behind a tree, stockpiling snowballs for the offensive. You glance at the tree to your right, where Eren is crouched with his own ammunition. He catches your gaze and gives you a thumbs-up. You return the gesture, peeking around the trunk of your tree when you hear pounding footsteps. Armin is heading straight for you. He looks like he's faltering, but upon realizing where he is, he pushes himself the last of the stretch, despite being tailed by Mikasa, Jean, and Marco. He throws himself into the snow, taking cover with his arms shielding his head. Too late, your opponents realize they've been tricked. You and Eren have begun your strike, emptying your reserves, joined at the last second by Connie and Sasha after they had taken Team Jean's fort from Krista and Ymir. 

When the last three members of Team Jean hold their hands up in defeat, you finally stop pelting them. It takes you a minute to realize you've won. 

"We won?" Armin voices it before you have the chance to.

"We won! WE WON!" Connie grabs Sasha's shoulders to shake them. 

Overwhelmed by success, you practically launch yourself excitedly into Eren's arms. He grunts when you slam into his chest, forcing him to take half a step back to account for the impact. Your arms have caught around his neck and he hooks his around your waist. He's grinning. You pull your head back to look at him, hardly believing that you've finally done it. Team Jean has destroyed you for five years in a row but now, finally, Eren has led you to victory. It might only be the first snowball fight of the season but it's the most decisive of them all, and you know that. Words tumble from your lips like a waterfall at a pace you can hardly help.

"We did it, Eren!" Your (E/C) gaze is bright with delight. "I can't believe it! I was worried they'd catch Armin, or they wouldn't follow him at all, and you _know_ how Ymir is about Krista, so I thought she might actually punch Sasha or Connie, but she didn't, and we won, and did you see when I nailed Jean right in his smug little horse face because that was _awesome_ , and you! You were amazing! I didn't think anybody could ever land a hit on Mikasa, but you got her _three times_ , if that's not skill I don't know what - "

You're cut off when he stretches his neck forward, bringing his lips to yours. You've never been kissed before but you'd certainly thought about it before. More specifically, you'd thought about kissing _him_. Your arms relax around his neck. His arms tighten around your waist. After a few blissful seconds, he pulls away from you and his mouth breaks into a grin. You can't help but laugh, touching your nose to his, a little breathless even if it was mostly from the exhilaration of the snowball fight. 

"(F/N)?" Eren asks.

"I didn't, um," you manage. "I didn't think you..."

"'Course I did," he answers. He seems like he's going to say something else, but he's cut off by a snowball driving itself into his cheek. His eyes widen and he swings his head around to find the culprit, only to swallow nervously when he realizes Reiner, Bertholdt, and Annie are all standing by the leftovers of your snowball piles. 

"Run?" you suggest sheepishly, releasing Eren. He catches your hand to keep you from stepping away fully.

"RUN!" Jean shouts at the top of his lungs. Eight pairs of feet scramble through the snow in an attempt to escape three of the most terrifying snowball champions Shiganshina City has ever seen, kicking up powder in your wake.

Your boots are left on your front porch, placed neatly, while Eren's are tossed haphazardly next to them. His jacket hangs in the foyer. It's safe to wear shorts inside, so you change while your kettle boils, padding back to the kitchen from your bedroom. Before too long, you enter the living room, carrying two mugs of hot chocolate. Eren likes his piled with marshmallows, while you prefer whipper cream dusted with cinnamon. Both mugs sport sticks of peppermint. You settle beside him on the couch, tucking your legs up and to the side, passing him his mug. He accepts is gratefully and watches the crackling fire burning nearby for a second before he turns to look at you. You're watching the flames too, taking sips of your cocoa. Unsurprisingly, considering the amount you've put in your cup, there's a spot of whipped cream right on the tip of your nose. He's trying very hard not to laugh.

You notice. "What? What is it?" He points to his nose and raises his eyebrows. "Oh." You rub the cream away shyly. "Thanks."

Instead of responding, Eren leans over to kiss you again, and you lower your mug slightly while you return the kiss. It's soft, and it's sweet, and he tastes like chocolate. Warmth spreads over your face. You're pretty sure it's not from the fireplace. One of his hands, heated from the drink he's holding, finds your cheek, cradling it. When he pulls away, he nods towards the mistletoe hanging from the doorway behind you. You twist your head to see what he's gesturing to, and you turn back to him with a questioning look in your eyes. He sets his cocoa aside and plucks your mug from your hands.

"Just saw there's some mistletoe. I have to kiss you again," he explains. "I don't make the rules."

"Aren't you supposed to be under the mistletoe for that to work?" you ask.

"Close enough." He shrugs, reaching to pull you back to him.


End file.
